Smashing Darling Blog

There’s lots good to say about our volunteer for this week’s critique, Asilomar Works. First, we’d like to say (even though this isn’t related to photography) that we LOVE it when designers make nice use of the area at the top of the boutique designated for store logos … this one fills the space nicely, and the name of the boutique is clear and bold.

Asilomar Works has some very interesting and unique pieces with a vintage flair. The photography for the most part is very nice and clear, and most items give at least a couple of alternate views. The descriptions of the items are very well written, too, and very clear about sizing and other details.

Spice it up - As far as things we would suggest, one thing stands out in our minds. While the photos are overall clear and of good quality, we think they could use an injection of personality and fun. Instead of solid or white backgrounds it could be a lot of fun to experiment with images that reflect the personality of the individual pieces and inject a bit of energy in to the shots. This could be accomplished by varying the backdrops, making them relate to the jewelry conceptually, or even tying in to the designer’s love for history, design, and film (from the designer’s profile.) You should always consider keeping at least one view with a white background for clarity, but experiment with a solid style that fits what you are selling for the main images.

Models - We also think that careful consideration of models could help enhance the shots, too, and help push these beyond product shots to shots that sell. Remember that models, should you choose to use them, should always reflect the personality of the piece, and should serve to enhance the look of the piece itself. If the model doesn’t look great, then he/she isn’t doing your product any favors!

The designer also posed a question to us that we’d like to answer directly, because it deals with something that affects us all: monitors, and how photos can look different on someone else’s system. She asks:

I am wondering how clear my photos are, if they give a good sense of each piece or if they are too dark or don’t show enough detail. I adjust my photos on a laptop and they look bright enough on that screen, but I have heard some comments that they appear too dark.

The answer is not a particularly easy one because the truth is that all monitors are different, and as they age, they vary even more widely. On our monitors here (which are well color corrected and calibrated, newer Mac systems) the shots look just fine. However, someone out there in cyberspace working on a 10-year old uncalibrated system may indeed see things differently. Since we can’t control the way that viewers see our images once we put them out there, the best we can do is to make sure our own monitors are accurate. You can learn more about monitor calibration at http://tinyurl.com/ywghes and http://tinyurl.com/22zwxb

We hope these ideas are helpful and wish everyone nothing but success. Thanks again, and feel free to email comments to julie[at]smashingdarling[dot]com …. or leave a comment below.